Golflands is an eastern suburb of the city of Auckland, New Zealand. The Pakuranga Golf Club is part of the suburb, and many of the streets have names related to golf or notable golf players, such as Bob Charles drive.

Golflands
The historic Hawthorn Dene house
The historic Hawthorn Dene house
Map
Coordinates: 36°55′16″S 174°54′36″E / 36.921°S 174.910°E / -36.921; 174.910
CountryNew Zealand
CityAuckland
Local authorityAuckland Council
Electoral wardHowick ward
Local boardHowick Local Board
Area
 • Land141 ha (348 acres)
Population
 (June 2024)[2]
 • Total
2,600
Highland Park Botany Downs
Golflands
Northpark
Burswood Huntington Park Botany

Geography

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Golflands is bounded by Cascades Road in the north, Ti Rakau Drive in the south, and the Pakuranga Stream and Pakuranga Creek on the west. Botany Road passes through the eastern portion of the suburb.

History

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Golflands is part of the rohe of Ngāi Tai ki Tāmaki, who descend from the crew of the Tainui migratory waka, who visited the area around the year 1300.[3] The mouth of the Tāmaki River was traditionally known as Te Wai ō Tāiki ("The Waters of Tāiki"), named after the Ngāi Tai ancestor Tāiki. Tāiki settled with his followers along the eastern shores of the Tāmaki River, alongside the descendants of Huiārangi of the early iwi Te Tini ō Maruiwi.[4] The traditional name for the Pakuranga Creek is Te Whārau. By the 16th century, the surrounding area was the site of extensive stonefield gardens.[3][5] During the Musket Wars in the 1820s, most members of Ngāi Tai fled to the Waikato for temporary refuge during this time, and when English missionary William Thomas Fairburn visited the area in 1833, it was mostly unoccupied.[6][7]

In 1836, William Thomas Fairburn brokered a land sale between Tāmaki Māori chiefs covering the majority of modern-day South Auckland, East Auckland and the Pōhutukawa Coast.[8] The sale was envisioned as a way to end hostilities in the area, but it is unclear what the chiefs understood or consented to. Māori continued to live in the area, unchanged by this sale.[9] In 1854 when Fairburn's purchase was investigated by the New Zealand Land Commission, a Ngāi Tai reserve was created around the Wairoa River and Umupuia areas, and as a part of the agreement, members of Ngāi Tai agreed to leave their traditional settlements to the west.[10][6]

In 1847, Howick was established as a defensive outpost for Auckland, by fencibles (retired British Army soldiers) and their families.[11] The historic Hawthorndene Homestead was constructed in the suburb in the 1850s,[12][13] and the area was primarily farmland until the mid to late 20th Century.[14]

In 1970, the Pakuranga Country Club (now known as the Pakuranga Golf Club) was established on farmland by the Cascades Golf Company, wanting to establish an American-style country club.[14] In the mid-1980s, the area surrounding the golf club was developed into suburban housing, with the first sections sold inn May 1987.[15] In 2012, Elim Christian College opened a junior campus in the suburb,[16] who purchased some of the Pakuranga Gold Club to use for playing fields.[14] In the same year, a controversial electricity substation was constructed in Golflands.[17] Another part of the golf course was developed as a retirement home in 2020.[18]

Demographics

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Golflands covers 1.41 km2 (0.54 sq mi)[1] and had an estimated population of 2,600 as of June 2024,[2] with a population density of 1,844 people per km2.

Historical population
YearPop.±% p.a.
20062,388—    
20132,373−0.09%
20182,460+0.72%
Source: [19]

Golflands had a population of 2,460 at the 2018 New Zealand census, an increase of 87 people (3.7%) since the 2013 census, and an increase of 72 people (3.0%) since the 2006 census. There were 873 households, comprising 1,188 males and 1,272 females, giving a sex ratio of 0.93 males per female. The median age was 43.2 years (compared with 37.4 years nationally), with 390 people (15.9%) aged under 15 years, 435 (17.7%) aged 15 to 29, 1,188 (48.3%) aged 30 to 64, and 450 (18.3%) aged 65 or older.

Ethnicities were 54.6% European/Pākehā, 4.3% Māori, 3.4% Pacific peoples, 40.7% Asian, and 4.3% other ethnicities. People may identify with more than one ethnicity.

The percentage of people born overseas was 52.9, compared with 27.1% nationally.

Although some people chose not to answer the census's question about religious affiliation, 41.8% had no religion, 41.3% were Christian, 3.5% were Hindu, 2.4% were Muslim, 3.8% were Buddhist and 2.7% had other religions.

Of those at least 15 years old, 567 (27.4%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, and 252 (12.2%) people had no formal qualifications. The median income was $35,500, compared with $31,800 nationally. 447 people (21.6%) earned over $70,000 compared to 17.2% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 1,062 (51.3%) people were employed full-time, 246 (11.9%) were part-time, and 75 (3.6%) were unemployed.[19]

Amenities

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  • Frank Nobilo Esplanade Reserve is a nature reserve and walkway along the eastern shores of the Pakuranga Creek. A bridge in the south of the reserve connects Golflands to Burswood.[20]

References

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  1. ^ a b "ArcGIS Web Application". statsnz.maps.arcgis.com. Retrieved 8 August 2022.
  2. ^ a b "Aotearoa Data Explorer". Statistics New Zealand. Retrieved 26 October 2024.
  3. ^ a b Green, Nathew (2011). "From Hawaīki to Howick – A Ngāi Tai History". Grey's Folly: A History of Howick, Pakuranga, Bucklands-Eastern Beaches, East Tamaki, Whitford, Beachlands and Maraetai. By La Roche, Alan. Auckland: Tui Vale Productions. pp. 16–33. ISBN 978-0-473-18547-3. OCLC 1135039710.
  4. ^ Green, Nat (2010). Ōtau: a Ngāi Tai Cultural Heritage Assessment of Clevedon Village, Wairoa Valley (PDF) (Report). Auckland Council. Retrieved 21 October 2022.
  5. ^ La Roche, Alan 2011, pp. 161.
  6. ^ a b Heritage Department of the Auckland Regional Council. "Duder Regional Park – Our History" (PDF). Auckland Council. Retrieved 30 August 2021.
  7. ^ Ngāi Tai Ki Tāmaki and the Trustees of the Ngāi Tai Ki Tāmaki Trust and the Crown (7 November 2015). "Deed of settlement schedule documents" (PDF). NZ Government. Archived (PDF) from the original on 13 February 2020. Retrieved 31 October 2021.
  8. ^ "13 June 1865". Auckland Libraries Heritage Collections. MJ_0760. Retrieved 19 June 2023.
  9. ^ Moore, D; Rigby, B; Russell, M (July 1997). Rangahaua Whanui National Theme A: Old Land Claims (PDF) (Report). Waitangi Tribunal. Retrieved 5 March 2023.
  10. ^ Clough, Tom; Apfel, Aaron; Clough, Rod (June 2020). 109 Beachlands Road, Beachlands, Auckland: Preliminary Archaeological Assessment (PDF) (Report). Environmental Protection Authority. Retrieved 21 October 2022.
  11. ^ La Roche, Alan 2011, pp. 48.
  12. ^ La Roche, Alan 2011, pp. 325.
  13. ^ "Hawthorn Dene Historic Country Cafe". Hawthorn Dene Historic Country Cafe. Retrieved 26 June 2023.
  14. ^ a b c "Our History". Pakuranga Golf Club. Retrieved 26 June 2023.
  15. ^ "May 1987". Auckland Libraries Heritage Collections. MJ_5758. Retrieved 26 June 2023.
  16. ^ "7 February 2012". Auckland Libraries Heritage Collections. MJ_7673. Retrieved 26 June 2023.
  17. ^ "6 December 2012". Auckland Libraries Heritage Collections. MJ_7668. Retrieved 26 June 2023.
  18. ^ Pullar-Strecker, Tom (17 January 2020). "Work tees off on Fairway Gardens retirement home in Auckland". Stuff.
  19. ^ a b "Statistical area 1 dataset for 2018 Census". Statistics New Zealand. March 2020. Golflands (153100). 2018 Census place summary: Golflands
  20. ^ Howick Local Board (November 2018). Howick Walking & Cycling Network (PDF) (Report). Auckland Council. Retrieved 25 June 2023.


Bibliography

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